BOOK SWAP

I walked into the house with two shopping bags filled with books. “That was an awesome book swap!” I called out to my son Alex as he came out of his room.

“That’s a lot of books.” he said as I put the bags down and took off my coat.

“I know. Don’t you just love it?” I kneeled down on the floor an began taking the books out of the bags and stacking them on the chair. I couldn’t help but giggle as I looked at all the fun adventures I was about to take while reading them.

“You’ve been gone for hours.” he picked up one of the books and began reading the back cover. “Did it take that long for you and Mrs. L. to swap books?”

“Oh, come on! You know Rosanne and I could talk forever!”

Alex laughed. “That’s true.” He placed the book back on the pile. “Who’s idea was the book swap?”

I got up and gathered the stack of books in my arms and began walking to my bedroom. “We’d been talking on the phone one day and realized we liked the same types of books. I thought about all the books I’d been saving and asked if she’d like to get together and swap.”

Alex had followed me to the bedroom and watched as I dropped the books on my bed. I went over to my bedside table and began rearranging my ‘to read’ pile to make room for the new books.

I looked over at Alex and sighed. “There was one sad moment for me while we were exchanging books though.”

“What?”

“Well, Rosanne would hold up one of her books and give me this wonderful detailed book review.” I sighed again. “I, on the other hand, was more like a dementia book reviewer. I’d hold up one of my books and say, ‘I liked this one.’”

Alex started to laugh. “Why would you do that?”

“Because I honestly couldn’t remember what the book was about!”

“Then how would you know you liked the book if you couldn’t remember the story?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Because I’d remember I liked it by the cover.”

Alex sat down on the edge of the bed and handed me the books as I placed them on the shelf of my bedside table.

“Well, didn’t she forget any of the books she’d read?” he asked.

I shook my head again. “Nope, not really. I mean she might look on the inside flap to jog her memory but she could still go into some great detail.” I sat back on my heels and looked at Alex. “You want to hear a really embarrassing moment?”

Alex shrugged his shoulders. “Sure.”

I placed one hand on my heart as I raised my other hand in the air. “I swear this actually happened. I picked up a book from her pile and said, I heard this one was good. Then looked over at my pile and saw that I had it.” I shook my head in disbelief. “I’d already read it!”

Alex laughed. “Oh, come on! That’s funny!”

I shook my head again. “Or a little bit scary.”